The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1887-10-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From oay Regular covyssponaent.)
Washington, D. c., Oct. g. 1887.


The Treasury Department is in a guam
diary again over the surplus question and
buying Of bonds to relieve business dis
tress. It's seasons Of relaxation seem to
be exceedingly spasmodic and Of short
duration. The time Of filling the sinking
fund expires on the 9Th, and what then
to do is most serious question. It is
two months yet before Congress can give
any relief, and how to bridge the in
term is very annoying and perpIexing
The Secretary has had conference with
Wall street bankers, and returned Just
in season to have short interview with
the President before he left for the
West. 1t is said that the Secretary
questions his authority to go much fur
ther, though the Wall street sharks lave
no qualnls of conscience on that point
SO long as they have bonds to sell at a
good round price, but don't propose to
tender them very lively at the last bid
of the Secretary. The result OF the in
terview with the President is not known
as they are extremely reticent at the
Treasury Department, but the presump-
ton is that no definite policy is settled
upon up to this writing, and that teles
graphic communication and special mes,
sengers will have to be relied on. This
will sadly mar the pleasure Of the Presi-
dents trip, and of course cause more or
less delay and confusion, and all for the
want of some fixed, settled and definite
policy in regard to our finances. All this
uncertainty and perplexing :, anxiety
could have been easily avoided by calling
an extra session, and making amends for
the criminal neglect of the last Con-
gress. If the administration were alone
the sufferers, we could view the situation
with some complacency, but where the
entire people are involved, such lack of
forethought seems most stupid.
Our Democratic friends have talked
good deal during the past thirty months
about Jeffersonian simplicity, and APP
piled it with wonderful dexterity to the
present administration The fact of his
tory is this: Jefferson rode down Penn
sylvania avenue on his nag, tied it
to post near the Capitol, and unostens
O. ,vh los
of his Inauguration. To-day President
Cleveland is careering through the land
| in 100000 train OF cars, reckoning
for ovation and applause. An eye halt
| open can see the righteousness Of such
an absurdity. A more extravagant and
| prohigate subversion OF official position
was never before witnessedin this cpun-
try, and no wonder that the labor re-
unions of Milwaukee, Chicago and else-
where, refuse to join in the demonstra-
tons of welcome, and characterize the
proceedings as "smacking too much Of
the homage paid to royalty in Europe. !"
No wonder there is bitterness and heart
burnings among the lahoring masses of
the country.
The Inter-Sta Commerce Commits
sion, like all other Bureaus and Depart
ments of Government, is required to
submit to Congress at the beginning of
every session, estimates for the coming
fiscal year. The law requires that these
estimates shall be in the hands OF the
Secretary of the Treasury by the lst OF
October. Most of them generally come
in later. But the Interstate Commerce
Commission is on hand like a sore thumb
this year, and wants $500 for the Sec
rotary and $4,000 for other necessary
expenses making total of 100000.
The present appropriation is 100000,
and that was thought at the time to be
extravagant. But here in less than
eight months, Democratic reform, ,eco>
nomical administration, proposes in ac-
tual report to Congress, to double. the
amount. Some inquisitive fellow might
ask, what do we get in return That is
question, my dear sir, that is puzzling
others than.you and me, and it may be
long time before satisfactory answer
is given. The expense is all we get
now.
Sparks, the Commissioner of the Gem
eral Land Office, is constantly in trouble,
and he don't seem to learn anything by
experience. After thirty months OF SER
vice, he is apparently as ignorant in re-
gard to his duties as Nicodemus was to
the second birth. The Secretary of the
Interior Department has frequently had
occasion to reverse the decisions of the
Commissioner so unjustly rendered
against the Western land settlers, and is
now engaged on another batch. Sparks
acts on the hypothesis that every land
taker is rascal, and should be watched
and treated as thief. He is in very
bad odor in the Department IS wei as
throughout the country, and it is well
known that the Secretary and other high
officials of the interior desire most ar
IDENTIFY his resignation. 1t is not unlike
ly that demand will be made for his
| al oolufo dismissal